Victoria’s Secret’s Runway show came back after years. But beyond South Africa’s Candice Swanepoel and Tyla taking to the stage; the show left a lot to be desired:

New York, South Africa (17 October 2024) — Earlier this week, Victoria’s Secret made a ‘splashy’ return to the runway after several years away from its once iconic pink carpet.

Premised to be a new era for the brand that has had a massive influence on the relationship women across the world have with their bodies; hopes were high for the comeback show and all the freshness it might bring. But, VS is nothing if not a tease. And for many critics, if the show was supposed to be a tease for diversity, it unfortunately missed the mark.

As a woman and writer who has long been championing topics of inclusivity and empowerment, I have to admit that the 2024 reveal left much to be desired.

Many of the models were part of the same class who have long worked with VS (the Hadid sisters, Taylor Hill and, of course, the seasoned Angels like Behati Prinsloo and Adriana Lima).

There were new faces part of the show and iconic ones too (Cher, Kate Moss and Tyra Banks to name a few). And all of it was as glossy as it was when I watched it as a teen.

But in the spirit of inclusivity—which is where many suspected the show was heading—it felt a lot like waiting for the drop of a song that never comes. In fact, it was a lot like listening to an old song you haven’t heard for a while again, except with a few barely noticeable remixed notes.

While it’s damn-near impossible to represent every person of every body type, it also feels like tokenism to see only a handful of models who weren’t size 0 (many of whom did multiple walks). There could have been a spectrum of body-positive representation that gave us all a more organic idea of beauty across the board…but there wasn’t.

I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting. A little (a lot) more of a celebration of the idea that healthy bodies can and do look different? Female empowerment of some kind? Wings that actually attempted to uplift women? At the very least, they did break the ageism barrier the beauty industry is known for by featuring models who would’ve been considered well into retirement if this were the early 2000s.

Two moments made the show almost worth the watch, and they were purely because South African women took to the stage like powerhouses. Candice Swanepoel was as gorgeous as ever, while Tyla got to headline the event with the energy she’s won the world over with. I’ll also give a special shout-out to Cher’s performance because that legend is nearly 80 years old and still killing the game.

But beyond their time on stage, the show hardly brought anything new to the table. Perhaps that was exactly the point.

If anything, the show made me thankful that I’m older and wiser than I was when I first gazed up at the angels like superheroes and thought beauty needed to look that way. Thankful that in 2024, we can recognise it’s just a show and not what women need to look like to fit into the world.

And thankful that the younger generation of women do have access to more information on health and well-being to create informed perspectives on what was once deemed ‘the standard’ of beauty.

Sources: GTG

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Most of us are pretty tired of body shaming, and so is Ariana Grande. Through kind words, she kicked bullies to the curb and gave people a food-for-thought takeaway.

Global (12 April, 2023) — Body shaming has been around for pretty much as long as we’ve had bodies (and the ability to over-analyze them). Despite being more aware of body shaming’s negative impact than ever before, society still plays bully. Positively, more and more people are speaking up for their bodies and the bodies of others, including pop and R&B sweetheart, Ariana Grande.

Ariana Grande might not be one to share her opinion often, but when she does, people tend to take notes. In a recent video, she kindly kicked back at her own body shamers and questioners and left millions of people with a beautiful bowl of thought.

No stranger to the endless public gaze —especially after stepping into a more natural era after years of wearing fake lashes and winged eyeliner that could slice an apple—Ariana decided to address people’s opinions.

And questions. And ‘conversation starters’ all about her body, a topic that’s been ridiculously ongoing for over a decade.

“You have talked a lot about [my body] over the past decade or longer so i’d like to join in this time. :)” — Ariana Grande.

Starting off, she shared that she doesn’t engage in this kind of address often.

Things soon unfolded into a series of soft thoughts, ranging from how people shouldn’t be comfortable commenting on other people’s appearances, to how society’s version of ‘healthy’ isn’t always the individual’s.

In Ariana Grande’s Words:

“I think we should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people’s bodies, no matter what. If you think you’re saying something good and well-intentioned, whatever it is, healthy, unhealthy, big small, this, that, sexy, not sexy…we just shouldn’t. We should really work toward not doing that as much.” 

“There are ways to compliment someone or to ignore something you see that you don’t like that I think we should help each other work towards. Just to aim towards being safer and keeping each other safer.”

Ariana then went on to break it down into three points that all of us should keep in our back pocket.

1. There are so many kinds of beautiful and healthy.
2. No one ever knows what someone else is going through or what they’re working on.
3. Beauty isn’t subject to a phase.

“There are many different kinds of beautiful, there many different ways to look healthy and beautiful.

“I know personally for me, the body that you’ve been comparing my body to, was the unhealthiest version of my body. I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly and at the lowest point of my life when i looked the way you consider ‘my healthy.’

“I know I shouldn’t have to explain that but I do feel like having an openness and some sort of vulnerability here like good might come from it.” —Ariana Grande.

Of not knowing what someone else is going through, she shared that people should be gentler.

“Even if you are coming from a loving place and a caring place, that person probably is working on it, or has a support system that they are working on it with.

“So be gentle with each other and with yourselves.”

Her third message, one of love shared:

“You’re beautiful no matter what phase you’re in.”

“I think you’re beautiful no matter what you’re going through, no matter what weight, no matter how like to do your makeup these days, no matter what cosmetic procedures you’ve had or not or anything.”

Why Being Body Positive Matters

It’s easy to get caught up in a world constantly focused on Instagram-approved appearances, whether you’re a celebrity or just someone with a body trying to live your life.

A study published in the International Journal of Bullying Prevention shared that body shaming can range from “well-meant advice to malevolent insults” and that it’s a form of social aggression that impacts mental health.

So, how do we combat this? Body positivity, friends, which means praising our own small victories on our wellness journeys and understanding that health isn’t a one-size-fits-all pair of jeans. It’s encouraging others to avoid the ‘urge’ to share their opinion on someone else’s temple, and uplifting each other along the way.

Source: Ariana Grande/TikTok

Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google. 

Have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post Ariana Grande Shares a Beautiful Argument Against Body Shaming appeared first on Good Things Guy.